A federal bill that will force digital platforms like Netflix and YouTube to contribute financially to Canadian content is on the cusp of becoming law.
The LiberalsB次元官网网址� online streaming bill passed its final vote in the Senate Thursday and is awaiting royal assent.
The bill updates the Broadcasting Act to bring online streaming platforms under the regulatory authority of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.
It also sets steep penalties for digital platforms that donB次元官网网址檛 make Canadian content available to their users in Canada.
The government has said the bill will not apply to individuals who post on social media, which had been a chief concern of those opposed to the changes.
It will apply to platforms such as Facebook and TikTok that distribute commercial programs like sporting events or live singing competitions.
Once the bill receives royal assent, a policy directive will be issued to the CRTC, which is required to develop regulations following consultations with the public.
Quebec Sen. Marc Gold, the Liberal governmentB次元官网网址檚 representative in the Senate, has said platforms that make money from their commercial activities must reinvest in Canadian creators and local content.
Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez, who sponsored the bill, said it simply requires streamers to contribute to Canadian culture.
B次元官网网址淭oday, we are standing up for our stories, our artists, our producers and our creators. WeB次元官网网址檙e standing up so that Canadians have even more opportunities to see themselves in what they watch and listen to,B次元官网网址� Rodriguez said Thursday in a written statement.
B次元官网网址淲ith this legislation, we are ensuring that CanadaB次元官网网址檚 incredible talent has a bigger and brighter stage online.B次元官网网址�
The Liberal bill has been widely supported by the NDP and Bloc Qu茅b茅cois, but the Conservatives have called it a B次元官网网址渃ensorshipB次元官网网址� bill and ran fundraising campaigns to B次元官网网址渒ill Bill C-11.B次元官网网址�
Conservative senators attempted to stall the billB次元官网网址檚 progress when it arrived back in the Senate last week, which prompted Gold to introduce a time-allocation motion that limited further debate to six hours.
Ultimately the third-reading debate didnB次元官网网址檛 even last that long, and a final vote was held Thursday evening.
This was the LiberalsB次元官网网址� second attempt to get an online streaming bill passed. The first version, introduced in 2020, did not pass before the 2021 election.
It was reworked and then reintroduced in February 2022.
The Senate spent 67 hours studying the bill at the committee stage alone, hearing from 138 different witnesses and receiving 67 written submissions.
B次元官网网址擬ickey Djuric, The Canadian Press
READ MORE: As content creators await the passing of Bill C-11, some say itB次元官网网址檚 still too ambiguous
READ MORE: YouTube, TikTok say Liberal online streaming bill fails to protect digital creators
